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Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim Arrives in London to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

London, January 15, 2025 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived in London on Tuesday night for a five-day working visit, marking his first official trip to the United Kingdom (UK) since assuming office in November 2022.

The aircraft carrying the Prime Minister touched down at Stansted Airport at 10:50 p.m. local time (6:50 a.m. Malaysia time), following his three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates. Anwar was warmly received by Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar, Defence Attaché Datuk Brig Gen Safwan @ Asri Ismail, British Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative Richard Wildash, and Chargé d’Affaires at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, David Wallace.

Accompanied by several key ministers, including Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, and Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Anwar’s visit underscores Malaysia’s commitment to deepening relations with its fourth-largest European trading partner.

Bilateral Discussions and Key Engagements

On Wednesday, Anwar is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to review the progress of Malaysia-UK relations and explore avenues for further cooperation in trade, investment, higher education, renewable energy, tourism, and agricommodity sectors. The leaders will also exchange views on regional and global issues, with a focus on strengthening ASEAN-UK Dialogue Relations.

As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Anwar plans to highlight Malaysia’s regional priorities and ASEAN’s collective efforts to address global challenges, according to Malaysian High Commissioner Datuk Zakri Jaafar.

Anwar’s itinerary in London includes a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and delivering a keynote address at the InvestMalaysia conference. He will also engage in high-level business discussions through a roundtable and one-on-one sessions with industry leaders and officiate the Malaysia Auditorium at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he will deliver a special lecture.

Significant Agreements and Project Launches

The visit is expected to feature the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Malaysia-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (MUKJETCO), aimed at further enhancing economic and trade cooperation between the two nations.

Anwar is also set to attend the launch of a solar farm project by Malaysia’s Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), a product unveiling by YTL Group UK, and visit the Battersea Power Station, Malaysia’s largest European investment project involving public funds.

Strengthening Economic Ties

According to Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, this visit highlights the enduring strength of Malaysia-UK relations, particularly in trade and investment, which are central to the bilateral partnership. In 2023, total trade between the two countries amounted to RM15.30 billion (USD3.34 billion), with exports totaling RM7.83 billion (USD1.71 billion) and imports valued at RM7.47 billion (USD1.63 billion).

The Prime Minister’s engagements are expected to bolster these ties and create new opportunities for collaboration across various sectors.

Continuing International Engagements

After concluding his UK visit, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to depart for Brussels on January 19 to continue his international diplomatic and economic engagements.